Filmmaker Statement

Hip Hop has been healing since its inception. Byways follows two youths as they use the music they love to work through personal traumas as well as imagine lives beyond their circumstances in the culture’s birthplace. Their paths first overlapped in a local high school Hip Hop therapy studio program, as seen in the award-winning short documentary Mott Haven, and this film illustrates their reconvening almost a decade later to create a new song. As they tell stories of stumbling blocks and crossroads, the inspiration behind their lyrics becomes apparent, showcasing the brilliance behind the often misunderstood artform (and its creators). They both continue to turn to Hip Hop in times of tragedy and triumph, harnessing their therapeutic relationship with it to overcome life-altering obstacles and create new avenues in an often unforgiving world.